Kerry Expresses Concern Over Decision to Boot State Department Official

WASHINGTON—A tense back-and-forth between the U.S. and Bahrain that began last week with Bahrain's decision to oust a top State Department official led to what officials described Monday as a "frank" phone call between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Bahrain Foreign Minister Khaled al-Khalifa.

Tom Malinowski, assistant secretary of State for democracy, human rights and labor, was declared persona non grata in Bahrain...